The National Press Club of South Sudan on Tuesday called on the authorities in Western Bahr el Ghazal State to reopen investigations into the killing of five journalists who were killed along the Wau- Raja road in 2015.
On 25 January 2015, five journalists working for the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) were ambushed and killed while traveling with state government officials to Raja County.
The slain journalists were Musa Mohamed, Dalia Marko, Boutros Martin, Randa George, and Adam Juma. They were killed along with six government officials.
While addressing the commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day in Wau, the National Press Club of South Sudan executive director, Ochaya James, said there has not been any accountability for the killing of the journalists.
“In Western Bahr el Ghazal, we lost five of our colleagues in the line of duty when they were doing a job to make sure that the citizens are informed. Up to now, we are almost going to seven years but there is no accountability or investigation report published by the state,” he lamented. “We call on the state leadership of Western Bhar el Ghazal to make sure that the perpetrators and whoever violates the rights of journalists face justice.”
“If South Sudan is a country where we respect the rule of law and democracy, we need to make sure that justice prevails for our colleagues,” he added.
Ochaya called for press freedom and access to information across the country.
“This year’s World Press Freedom Day celebration should also mark the beginning of the roadmap for us access at different levels to make sure that access to information is granted to the citizens,” he said.
For her part, Governor Sarah Cleto Rial said despite several challenges faced by the media, the government is doing its best to ensure the rights of media practitioners are respected.
“We have a lot of challenges and on our part as government, we are trying to do as much as we can but we are also asking our national and international partners that focus on the press and the media to do their part,” she said. “There are difficulties in the job. We have those who lost their lives but the perpetrators will be brought to justice as stipulated in the revitalized peace agreement.”
The governor said the peace agreement stipulates the formation of a commission for truth, justice, and accountability for the crimes committed during the conflict.
Some of the journalists who attended the function said it reminded them of the work they have ahead and the challenges they face while working.
Michael Wondi, a journalist in Wau, said he was happy to be part of the celebrations.
“I am happy to attend this celebration today and it reminds me of the task ahead. The only message I would like to send to the authorities, especially our leaders, is that we the journalists are actually eager to carry out our functions in service of humanity in this country but we are always deprived of access to information,” Wondi said. “We are always threatened and considered enemies.”